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Self compassion….

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF….( What ever happened to the “Yourself” bit?)…. Anyways…..

Self Compassionate … Are we?

This is a question I ask myself … over and over ..

I guess I’ll always do…Now that I’ve discovered the benefits of taking a rain check on our self compassion meter..

It really is very easy to be compassionate towards others …Isn’t it?

…Oh it comes naturally …I hear you say …
…Oh it’s easy for me .. others say…
…Isn’t that the natural order of the heart? .. Some ask..

Is it possible to be truly compassionate without being compassionate to ME first.

Think about this….

Try making the mistake of making a slight nick to your finger whilst chopping vegetables…. and tell me that you don’t curse yourself through the pain .. telling yourself how silly you were to have let your concentration slip for a moment…

Now Turn the tables and let that person in the picture be your little one… or a friend , or even a stranger … What would be your natural predisposition?…

There are so many ways in which compassion to others comes so naturally and automatic to our very nature.. .. Robotic even…It is a very good thing , don’t get me wrong …

However, when the tables are turned inwards , we often feel it’s undeserving of us … We rarely give us a chance to feel the comfort that comes from within…

I hear the inner critic say the following …

1.It’s my fault .. I should’ve been more careful… so don’t deserve any compassion

2.I deserve this pain, how could I have been so careless?

3.If only I’d listened , I wouldn’t have been where I am now…. That’s what you get for not listening ….

On and on it goes…

.. And the light slowly but surely gets dimmer….

The very one who needs the most attention , becomes neglected, discarded, uncared for, rejected, disregarded… and what do we get in return ? Self Alienation … Self Loathe .. and downward goes the spiral…

Tell you what…

My understanding is this.. the only way we can come to know, and breathe compassion in it’s purest form is by showing ourselves the same compassion…..

How about saying(to us) the same things you’d say to your little 5 year old when he’s hurt a toe?… How about offering ourselves the empathy we naturally offer others when we feel their sorrow? …

I am not Nobody, I am Me.. Human , same emotions that others have …

So, Why does it feel unjustifiable to offer Me Compassion??

Have we somehow, been conditioned to regard it as conceit? Maybe …But I say not .. It’s very far from Conceit…..Or have we simply forgotten how to care for ME? ..Possibly …

Offer your heart what it needs … Love and compassion from YOU … You OWN It

As we are urged to be our brothers keepers, May we remember to be our Hearts’ Keepers…

Our Hearts only lead us down a certain path …..JOY… Yes, JOY .. have you found her/him?

As we set about implementing our New Year Resolutions , may we remember to practice a little bit of self compassion if we can….

I’m certainly no expert… but I’m an eager neophyte ready to explore this journey of SELF COMPASSION…

May the masters of self compassion remain true to it. May the neophytes remain steadfast , and may those who have just come across it adopt it…